Safety razor



J. H. VANCE.

SAFETY RAZOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY x9. 1920.

iatented. May 2, 1922.

Mw UE INVENTQR 9 N FM fix Wan-r1127 citizen of the United pair-an staresearner JOHN H. VANCE, OF ZPIT'TSIBURGH, FENNSYLVANIA, ASSTGNOR, BYDIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO TRU-WAY RAZOR COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH,PENN- SYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

SAFETY RAZOR.

ini iates.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I JOHN H. VANCE, a tates, and resident of Pittsburgh,in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented anew and useful Improvement in a Safety Razor,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a safety razor.

The object of the invention is to provide a safety razor the blade ofwhich may be stropped or honed without being removed from the razorhandle and without the use of special stropping appliances orattachments.

A furtherobject of the invention is to provide a'safety razor in whichthe blade is held securely in position, and in which all the parts maybe readily assembled and disassembled In order to effect these objects,the razor embodies a special structure whereby the razor blade is heldin position on the handle and the guard rendered readily removable, theguard performing no function in holding the blade.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of the razor; Fig. 2is a side elevation of the razor with the guard removed; Fig.- 3 is aplan view of the handle member of the razor; Fig. 4 is a side elevationof the handle member; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blade locking bar;Fig. 6 is a central horizontal section through the locking bar; Fig. 7is a bottom plan view thereof; Fig. 8 is a plan view of the razor guard;Fig. 9 is a central horizontal section through the guard Fig. 10 is across sectional view through the guard taken on the line 10-10 Fig. 8;Fig. 11 is a cross sectional view through the looking bar taken on theline 1111, Fig. 7; Fig. 12 is across sectional view through the handlemember taken on the line 1212, Fig. 3; and Fig. 13 is a longitudinalsection prn an enlarged scale taken on the line 1313 'Fhe handle memberof the razor comprises a handle portion proper 1, and a blade receivingportion 2. On the blade receiving portion 2 are posts 3 arranged to passthrough corresponding-orifices in the blade 4 of the razor. When inposition on the blade Specificationv of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 19,

Patented May 2, i922.

1920. Serial No. 382,577.

The locking bar 5 has a flat, or slightly concave, under surfacearranged to contact the razor blade, and is provided on its undersurface with countersunk depressions 6 arranged to receive the posts 3which pass through the razor blade. The locking bar 5 is held inposition relatively to the razor blade t and the blade holding portion 2of the handle member by engaging rigidly with the blade holding portionof the handle. The engaging means comprise a hook 7, which embraces theforward extremity of blade holding portion 2, and enters a suitablenotch 8 in the blade holding member; and a pin 9 which projects upwardlyadja cent the rearward extremity of the blade holding portion 2 and isarranged to enter a suitable orifice 10 in the under side of the lockingbar 5. When so positioned, with the blade holding posts 3 engaging incountersunk depressions 6, hook 7 in the notch 8, and pin 9 in theorifice 10 of the locking bar; the locking bar is properly aligned andheld relatively to the razor blade 4 and blade holding portion 2, but isnot secured in such position.

In order that the locking bar may be secured, it is provided adjacentits rearward extremity with a catch member 11. The catch member 11 isresilient, being preferably formed by folding over a tongue stamped withthe body of the locking bar.

It is arranged so that its upper face is in- I clined rearwardly towardthe handle 1 of the razor. Arranged to cooperate with the catch 11 ofthe locking bar is a slide member 12 on the handle 1. The member 12 ispreferforwardly so that its undercut portion engages with the catch 11of the locking bar thus securing the parts relatively to each other. Theresiliency both of the catch 11- and of the member 12 causes a firmlocking engagement of the bars. When so locked the u a. safety guard.

edges of the blade 4 extend beyond both the blade holding portion 2 ofthe handle and the-locking bar 5. The razor may thus-be readily stroppedor ,honed, and may, if so desired, be used as a simple razor without Inorder to remove the locking bar 5 from position, so that the parts maybe disassembled for cleaning of the blade or other purposes; the member12 is slid rearwardly so that its undercut portion 15 is withdrawn thusrelasing the catch 11 of the locking bar. The rearward extremity of thelocking bar may then be lifted or dropped from the pin 10, and the hook7 may be readily withdrawn from the notch '8.

When it is desired to utilize the razor of the resent invention as asafety razor, a suita le guard 17 is added to the assembly of partspreviously described. This guard 17 is provided at'its. forwardextremity with a pair of hooked tongues 18 which engage in correspondinggrooves 19 on the under side of the locking bar 5." At its rearwardextremity, the guard has a tongue 20 which engages under the lip 21 ofthe catch 11 on the locking bar. In order to assure an accuratealignment of the guard17 relatively to the other parts of the razor, itis provided with a downwardly offset portion 22 extending longitudinallyof the bar, which engages in a corresponding groove 23 in the .uppersurface of locking bar5. In order that the guard 17 maybe readilyremoved frdm the locking bar, it'is provided with an upturned thumbpiece 24 against which pressure may be exerted to slide the guard out ofits engaging position. i

t is to be noted that the guard of the razor is entirely an addedmember, and that it performs no function in the razor assembly' otherthan that of a mere guard, the blade being held entirely by the handleparts and the locking bar. The guard may thus be removed and leave theblade firmly secured in position in the body of the razor.'

For this reason, the blade of the razor may be stropped or honed whilein positionin the body of the razor itself and the use of a specialstropping handle, or of special stropping appliances is renderedunnecessary. The guard may thus be removed and the razor bladeconveniently stropped or honed during the operation of shaving. This isa feature peculiar to the safety razor of the present invention.

The handle member proper of the razor is shown as straight, but may, ifso desired, be made of the balanced type without modificat-ions in theother portions of the device. This straight handle is preferablyprovided at its'extremity with acupped finger grip 25, and is knurledthroughout to provide a surface which may be firmly grasped.

The razor handle member, locking bar, and guard may be made of anymaterial found "suitable in use. It is preferable however,

that such parts be stamped from metal be,-

ware to be imposed upon the scope of the in vention.

What I claim is:

1. A safety razor comprising mutually fixedhandle and blade holdingmembers, a, lockingl bar arranged to engage on said blade olding memberand secure a blade thereto and having notches on the under surface ofits forward end, a lip on the locking bar adjacent the rear end thereof,and

an independently removable guard member having hooks arranged to engagein the notches in said locking bar and a tongue,

arran ed to engage under said lip. v

2. K safety razor comprising mutually fixed handle and blade holdingmembers, said blade holding member having a notch on the under side ofthe forward end thereof, a locking bar arranged to secure a blade onsaid blade holding member-and having a hook engaging in the notch insaid blade holding member and having notches in the under side of theforward end thereof, a member extending longitudinally of said handlemember and slidable thereon atranged to engage the rear endofsaid-locking bar, a lip on the locking bar adjacent the rear endthereof, and an independently removable'guard member having hooksarranged to engage in the notches in said locking bar and a tonguearranged to engage under said lip. A

In witness whereof, I hereunto set my hand.

JOHN H. VANCE.

